Risk

High

Date Discovered

August 11, 2009

Description

Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection ActiveX control is prone to a remote heap-based buffer-overflow vulnerability.
Attackers may exploit this issue by enticing an unsuspecting victim to view a malicious webpage.
Successful exploits will allow attackers to execute arbitrary code within the context of the affected application that uses the ActiveX control (typically Internet Explorer). Failed exploit attempts will result in a denial-of-service condition.

Technologies Affected

Microsoft RDP 6.1

Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Datacenter Edition

Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Datacenter Edition SP2

Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Enterprise Edition

Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Enterprise Edition SP2

Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition

Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition SP2

Microsoft Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems

Microsoft Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems SP2

Microsoft Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems

Microsoft Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems SP2

Microsoft Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems

Microsoft Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems SP2

Microsoft Windows Vista Business 64-bit edition SP1

Microsoft Windows Vista Business 64-bit edition SP2

Microsoft Windows Vista Business SP1

Microsoft Windows Vista Business SP2

Microsoft Windows Vista Enterprise 64-bit edition SP1

Microsoft Windows Vista Enterprise 64-bit edition SP2

Microsoft Windows Vista Enterprise SP1

Microsoft Windows Vista Enterprise SP2

Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic 64-bit edition SP1

Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic 64-bit edition SP2

Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic SP1

Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic SP2

Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit edition SP1

Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit edition SP2

Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1

Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP2

Microsoft Windows Vista SP1

Microsoft Windows Vista SP2

Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit edition SP1

Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit edition SP2

Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate SP1

Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate SP2

Microsoft Windows Vista x64 Edition SP1

Microsoft Windows Vista x64 Edition SP2

Microsoft Windows XP Home SP2

Microsoft Windows XP Home SP3

Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition SP3

Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP2

Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP3

Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64 Edition SP2

Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition SP3

Recommendations

Deploy NIDS to monitor network traffic for signs of anomalous or suspicious activity. This includes but is not limited to requests that include NOP sleds and unexplained incoming and outgoing traffic. This may indicate exploit attempts or activity that results from a successful exploit.

Set web browser security to disable the execution of script code or active content.

Since attackers may use script code to exploit this issue, consider disabling support for script code and active content within the client browser. Note that this mitigation tactic might adversely affect websites that rely on the execution of browser-based script code.

Do not use client software to access unknown or untrusted hosts from critical systems.

To limit exposure to client-side vulnerabilities, never visit sites of questionable integrity.

Do not accept communications that originate from unknown or untrusted sources.

Do not open or view email from unknown or untrusted sources. Configure email clients to view messages as plain text to help mitigate these issues.

Implement multiple redundant layers of security.

Various memory-protection schemes (such as nonexecutable and randomly mapped memory segments) may hinder an attacker's ability to exploit this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code.

Run all software as a nonprivileged user with minimal access rights.

To limit the potential damage that a successful exploit may achieve, run all nonadministrative software as a regular user with the least amount of privileges required to successfully operate.

The vendor has released an advisory and updates. Please see the references for details.

Disclaimer
The information in the advisory is believed to be accurate at the time of publishing based on currently available information. Use of the information constitutes acceptance for use in an AS IS condition. There are no warranties with regard to this information. Neither the author nor the publisher accepts any liability for any direct, indirect, or consequential loss or damage arising from use of, or reliance on, this information.

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